Conveyors



E. KUWERTZ Dec. 29; 1964 CONVEYORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1963 Dec. 29, 1964 E. KUWERTZ 3,163,233

CONVEYORS Filed Feb. 18, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOP [vb/1 A wmwz Dec. 29, 1964 E. KUWERTZ 3,163,283

, CONVEYORS Filed Feb. 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. KUWERTZ CONVEYORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a m i J Wmewr'op [nth kwmerz Dec. 29, 1964 Filed Feb. 18, 1963 r/zzlhllllllr/llll/w/m United States Patent 3,163,283 CGNVEYGRS Erich Kuwertz, Kaiserslantern, Pialz, Germany, assignor to G. M. Pfafi Ahtiengeseilscbaft, Kaisersiautern, Pfaiz, Germany, a German company Fiied Feb. 18, 1563, Bar. No. 259,?92

Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 19, 1962,

4 Claims. (ill. K d-3%) The present invention relates to conveyors for carriers of work pieces or material which are provided with a hook-shaped suspension member, areaccepted by a support member and automatically delivered to receiving bars or rods at pro-selectable dropping or delivery'points.

The object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor having supporting members for delivering several work carriers on both sides of the conveyor, in such manner as to ensure reliable transference of the work carriers without accurate relative alignment of the supporting member and the receiving rod or bar.

This is achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by means of a supporting member of J-shape which is connected to a spindle provided in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the conveyor and is pivotally displaced into the delivery position, and by stationary work carrier shunt rails which co-operate with the supporting member at the respective delivery stations within its range of pivotal displacement and extend parallel to the direction of feed by the conveyor.

Further, by the present invention a construction is used in which the guide rail is formed by an end of the receiving bar or rod which is bent at a right angle. Due to the direct connection of the guide rail and receiving bar or rod it is impossible for the Work carrier to miss the receiving rod during the transfer operation, since the carrier engages over the receiving bar or rod before sliding from the supporting member.

The present invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the conveyor by way of example and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an overall schematic view of the conveyor device.

FTGURE 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a conveyor member of the device.

FlGURE 3 is a plan view of a dropping point at the beginning of the transfer operation.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken on the line Ill-Til of FIGURE 3, the supporting member being shown in its dropping position.

The conveyor element in the form of a chain 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided at predetermined spaced intervals with rollers 2 which run on supporting means such as a guide track 3 formed of profile rails and in turn is secured to a frame or other support such as the ceiling of a room. Linked to each pair of opposed rollers 2; is a carriage or conveyor member 4- which is displaceable along the conveyor track. The conveyor member 4 has a front wall 5 in which a spindle 5 is journalled to rotate in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the conveyor. At its front end, the spindle 6 carries a if-shaped supporting member 8 presenting two arms freely extending in opposite directions and serving to receive a hook-shaped suspension member 7a of a Work carrier 7. Member 8 is supported by spindle 6 at its center intermediate its two arms and pivotally movable in two opposite directions. Furthermore a control disc 9 is connected to the spindle 6, which is provided with a rib 1% adapted to determine the center position of the supporting member EJ632313 Patented Dec. 29, 1954 8 (see also PEG. 3 this rib being contacted by two oppositely disposed arms 11, 12, of control levers 13, 14 respectively. The control levers 13, 14, are journalled to rotate on trunnion screws or bolts 16 mounted in the front wall 5 and have control rods 17, 18 respectively on the upper end of each of which a roller E5 is rotatably journalled.

Two torsion springs 19, 26 encompassing the trunnion screws 16 are connected at one end to the front wall 5 of the conveyor member 4 and have their other end disposed around the control rods 17 and 18 respectively, so that they are normally held in an upward and outwardly directed position.

In order to transmit pivotal movements of the control rods 17, 18 initiated by release means to be described hereinafter, from the control rods 17, 18 to the control disc 9, the control levers l3, 1d are provided with drivers 21, 22 in whose path are respectively located two pins 23, 24 mounted on the control disc 9. The arms 13., 12 of the levers 13, 14 have abutment pins 25 and 2e respectively (FIG. 3) which slide in slots 27 and 2% respectively provided on the front wall 5 and limit the range of swing of the control rods 17, 18.

Provided at each of the delivery or dropping points arranged on the conveyor installation is a receiving bar or rod 29 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which serves to receive the work carriers 7, is inclined downwardly and outwardly and the upper end or" which is provided with a guide rail 36 co-operating with a support member 3 during the transfer of the work carriers '7. The guide rail 3% extends within the pivotal range of the support members 3 and extends in the direction of feed, i.e., parallel or substantially parallel to the track 3.

The conveyor members 4 are provided with a, conventional selector device 31, the contact members 32 of which co-operate with electric switches 33 arranged at the delivery stations. At each delivery point there is provided a release lever 34 which co-operates with the rollers 15, is journalled by means of a pin 35 to rotate on a supporting plate 36 and is held by a spring 37 in the normal position shown in chain dotted lines in FIG. 3;

In order to initiate a lateral pivotal movement of a support member 8 about its shaft 6 which is necessary for transferring the appropriate work carrier 7 from the conveyor, the release lever under the control of an electromagnet 38 provided at the delivery point, is brought into the position illustrated in FIG. 3 in full lines, and held therein by means of a locking lever iii.

The locking lever 4b is journalled to rotate on a supporting arm 42 about a bolt 41 and, for limiting its rotary movement, has an abutment pin 43 which slides in a slot 44 of said arm 4-2. A torsion spring is enclosing the bolt 41 is held at one end in the supporting arm 42 and at its other end in contact with the abutment pin 43 so that the lockin lever 40 is normally held in the position shown in FIG. 3. In order to avoid lateral oscilla tion of the conveyor member 4 during the swinging movement of the supporting memberfi, the delivery points are provided with guide rails 46 which act as stops for guide rollers d? journalled at the sides or a conveyor member 4.

The mode of operation of the conveyor is as follows.

A work carrier is hooked on the supporting member 8 of a conveyor member 4 at a central delivery or operating point. Then the end station is identified in known manner by pressing in the appropriately marked key on the selector 31. When the mark set on the selector 31 agrees with the mark or sign of the delivery or dropping point, the contact member 32; actuates the switch33, so that the electro-rnagnet 38 receives a current pulse. The push rod 39 of the electro-magnet 38 thereby urges the release lever 34 into the position shown in full lines in against the guide rail 36 (see FIG. 4).

the conveyor.

of the driver or pawl 22 and the control disc 9 Thus the supporting member moves into a position inclined towards the delivery point so that the work carrier '7 slides downwardly under the action of gravity on the inclined side of the supporting member 8 where it abuts In this position the work carrier 7 is moved further along the guide rail 39 in the feed direction until the vertical portion 7a of its hook 7b reaches the receiving bar or rod 29.

As soon as the vertical part 7a has passed the receiving bar or rod 29, the work carrier 7'con tinues to slide downwardly on the support member 8 and drops vertically; The hook-shaped end 712 of the work carrier 7 engages around the receiving bar or'rod 29 before'it slides off the support member 8 and is thus received thereby as being disposed optionally on either side of said conveyor within the range of pivotal swing of said supporting members and extending parallel to the path of said conveyor.

2. A conveyor system for work carriers having a suspension member, said conveyor system comprising a conveyor element, means for movably supporting said element, carriages. supported on said conveyor element, and a plurality of delivery stations, each having a stationary guide rail and a receiving bar for said carriers disposed at predetermined positions along said conveyor element,

each of said 'carria es havin' a V-sha ed su orting 1 member presenting two' freely extending arms, a spindle extending longitudinally of the plane of symmetry of said conveyor element and supporting said V-shaped member at the center thereof intermediate said arms for pivotal movement at a predetermined delivery station in it drops. Since the hook-shaped end 7b of the work carrier 7 is necessarily above the receiving bar orrod 29 before it drops off the supporting member 8, it cannot miss said rod. j

The transference of the work carrier is effected in a trans er area defined by the length of the guide rail, with the result that it is quite independent of the speed of Since the transfer of a work carrier takes only a comparatively short time, several work carriers may be simultaneously deposited at a delivery or dropping position or station.

After the conveyor member 4 has passed the delivery position, the roller comes into contact with the arcuate portion of the locking lever 4i). Due to the expanding torsion spring N, the locking leveris turned in a clockwise direction (FIG. 3), whereby the lever 34 isreleased and is brought by the spring 37 into its position shown in chain dotted lines in FIG. 3. The support member 8,

v the locking lever 49 and the releaselever 34 thus resume their initial position so that succeeding conveyor members, which are intended to be transferred at another delivery station, can pass by unimpeded.

In the foregoing, theinvent-ion has been described with reference to diagrammatically illustrated yet specific devices. It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts and devices for those shown herein for illustration, may be made in'accordance with the broader scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.-

The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. A-conveyor system for work carriers having a sus-' pension member, said conveyor system comprising a conveyor element, means for movably supporting said elea plurality of delivery stations, each having astationary guide rail and a receiving bar for said carriers disposed at the centerthereof intermediate said arms for pivotal movementat a predetermined delivery station in the diment,'carriages supported on said conveyor'elem ent, and

rection of said delivery station, said stationary guiderails rails being disposed optionally on either side of said conveyor within the range of pivotal swing of said supporting members and extending parallel to the path of said conveyor and having one end proximate an end of one said receivingbar and being bent atta right angle relative thereto.

3. A conveyor system for work carriers having a suspension member, said conveyor system comprising acon- ,veyor element, means for movably supporting said element, carriages supported on said conveyor element, and a plurality ofrdelivery stations, each having a stationary guide rail and a receiving bar for said carriers disposed at predetermined positions along said conveyor element, each of said carriages having a V-shaped supporting member, a spindle extending longitudinally of the plane of symmetry'or" said conveyor element and supporting said V-shaped member for pivotal movement at a predetermined delivery station, said stationary guide rails being disposed Wltlllilihf: range of pivotal swing of said supporting members and extending parallel to the path of said conveyor and having one end proximate an end of one said receiving bar and being bent at a-right: angle relative-thereto, said system includingcontrol means for ing a front wall on said carriage pivotally supporting said spindle, a control disk mounted on said spindle of each said carriage and having a pair of pins projecting from one side thereof and a web projecting from the other side thereof, a pair of control levers mounted on said front wall onopposite sides of said spindle, each having a'pawl at its lower end in engagement with one of said pins and each having an arm at said lower end in sliding engagement with said web, and said front wall pivotally supporting said spindle and presenting two guide slots, one for each said control lever, and each said arm having a pin extending into one of said guide slots.

4. A conveyor system in accordance with claim 3 including spring biasing means for said levers comprising a spring having one end in engagementwith said front wall and anotherend in engagement with said lever.

. 2,013,141" 9/35, Frost res-es;

2,9935% 7 6'1 winz 198 38 SAl /FUEL FiCOLEMAN, dieting PrimaryExamizzer.

ERNEST A. FALLER, 1a., Examiner. 

1. A CONVEYOR SYSTEM FOR WORK CARRIERS HAVING A SUSPENSION MEMBER, SAID CONVEYOR SYSTEM COMPRISING A CONVEYOR ELEMENT, MEANS FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID ELEMENT, CARRIAGES SUPPORTED ON SAID CONVEYOR ELEMENT, AND A PLURALITY OF DELIVERY STATIONS, EACH HAVING A STATIONARY GUIDE RAIL AND A RECEIVING BAR FOR SAID CARRIERS DISPOSED AT PREDETERMINED POSITIONS ALONG SAID CONVEYOR ELEMENT, EACH OF SAID CARRIAGES HAVING A V-SHAPED SUPPORTING MEMBER PRESENTING TWO FREELY EXTENDING ARMS, A SPINDLE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE PLANE OF SYMMETRY OF SAID CONVEYOR ELEMENT AND SUPPORTING SAID V-SHAPED MEMBER AT THE CENTER THEREOF INTERMEDIATE SAID ARMS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AT A PREDETERMINED DELIVERY STATION IN THE DI- 